Thermostatic valve.



R. S. MAYER.

THERMOSTATIC VALVEI nPPucATlore m50 SEPT. 14, 19%1.

Patented June 26, 1917.

i nin l@ uill device.

yheat for expanding the same,

En sans ROBERT S. MAYER, OF NORWOOD, OHIO.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE.

Application led September 14, 1911. Sera1No.r649,257.

To all whom t may concern: f

Be it known that I, ROBERT S; MAXER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Valves, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My improved device is adapted to be used in connection with heatingsystems, 'for instance at the outlet opening of a radiator, between theradiator and the returnpipe, and is especially applicable in socalledtwo-pipe systems. My invention contemplates the employment of anexpansionmember, and is arranged for sensitive control and wide range ofmovement.

It is the object of my invention to provide novel means for guiding theexp ansion* member, whereby distortion of the same is avoided; furtherto provide novel valvem/echanism.; and further to arrange theexpansion-member and valve-mechanism in novel relation and the inventionwill be further readily understood from the following description and'claims, and from the drawing, in which latter: Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radiator having my improved deviceapplied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an axial sectionv of my improved Fig. 3 is la cross-section ofthe same on the line z-a in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same on the line y-fy of Fig.' 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same on the line -m of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the same on the line w`fw of Fig. 2.

A valve casing 1 has a seat 2 therein for receiving a valve-seat member3, the latter being provided with a valve-seat 4. A valve 5, shown on astem 6, is adapted to seat against the valve-seat.` The casing isprovided with an extension, shown in the form of a housing 7, instancedas secured to the casing by threaded connection 8, the housing having acap 9 secured thereto, as by threaded connection 10.

An expansion-member 15 is received in` the housing. Thisexpansion-member is of suitable material sensitive to the action of andis prefin the form of a tube having a cenerably 16 through which thestem 6 is tral bore received.

member,and is shown in the form of a split nut received about thethreaded end 18 of the stem 6, the split nut acting as a clampnut forholding the stem in adjusted positions. The head'17 receives one end ofthe expansion-member, the other end of the exansion-member beingreceived in a socket 2O of the base 21 of the housing 7. The expansionand contraction yof the expansionmembcr takes place between said baseand said head, the connection of the latter With the stem 6 causinglongitudinal movement of the stem, for seating the valve 5 against thevalve-seat 4, by expansion of said expansion-member, and, onlcontraction thereof, permitting said valve to recede from saidvalve-seat for opening the valve, iny other words, the valve opens by amovement away from said expansion-member. Thestem is adjustable withrelation to the cap for determining the moment of closure of the valve 5by the expansion-member, the outer end of stem being shown provided witha polygonal end 22 for the purpose.

The expansion-member is shown of shankform.

lperienced with expansion-members of the One of the diiiicultiesheretofore exshank-form has been a buckling and bending of theexpansion-member when subjected to a ,higher temperature than that forwhich the same ha-s been adjusted. In order to avoid a diiculty of thiskind, my improved expansion-member is provided with novel means, shovvnin the present exempliiication of my invention, as the valve-seat member3 held in place by a spring 26 shown received between said valve-seatmember and the base 21, which is of suiciently strong resistance toovercome theexpanding action of the expansion-member when subjected totemperatures within ordinary working conditions or limits within whichsaid` expansion-member has been set for movement, but arranged to yieldwhen the expansion-member is subjected to excessive heat or a heat whichwould otherwise tend to cramp or buckle the expansion-member between thebase 21 and the head 17, when the valve 5 is set against the valve-seat4. When the expansion-member has been expanded to sufficient extent toseat the valve 5 against the valveseat 4, upon further expansion of saidexpansion-member the valve-seat member 3 is moved against the action ofthe spring 2G for relieving the expansion-member from such crampingaction and. preventing buckling thereof. I also prefer to guide theexpansion-member between ribs 27 extending longitudinally of thehousing.

The steam is received from the radiator,

shown at 30, through an inlet passage 3l of the casing l.. The interiorspace ofthe casing extends upwardly about the base 2l for forming apocket orpockets 32 above the lower end of said base. The steam receivedin said casing will ascend into said vpocket or pockets` and passthrough apertures 33 in said base and pass upwardly into the space 34between the side-wall of the housing 7 and the outer periphery of theexpansion-member and into the space 35 in the cap 9, and will descendthrough the openings 37 in the head into the space 38 between the stem 6and the wall of the bore 1G and be received through the opening'y 39Vvin the baseQl, through which the stem is also received. In this mannerthe steam has circulation along the peripheral s urface and the surfaceof the bore of the expansionniember, for heating l.the saine quickly, orsubjecting the same quickly to the cooling action in the absence ofheat. The direction of circulation about and through theexpansion-member may of course be changed without departing from thespirit of my invention. p

Upon accumulation of water in the casing, the expaiision-member willcool, and if the water attains a suflicient height, for instance toclose the inlet passage of the casing, the circulation of steam aboutthe expansionmember-will cease and the same will cool quickly; A

Upon cooling of the expansion-meinber, the valve 5 will retreat from thevalve-seat i4 and permitpthe escape of water from the vvalve-seat.

The valve and valve-seat are also preferably inade with downwardlysloping mating contact-walls which prevent the lodgment of foreignsubstances thereon, the valve being shown as a conical valve havingmovement longitudinal of its axis, the valve preferably opening downwardand being at the lower side of the valve-seat member, while theexpansion-member is at the upper vside of said valve-seat member, thesaid valve-seat member having yielding connection with the casing.

The upper end of the valve-seat member is preferably as low as the lowerwall of the inlet passage, for preventing the formation of a detrimentalwaterpocket in the casing, permitting the complete escape of wateraccumulations from the inlet passage, and

Vcausing' the full ycapacity of the fluid openings to be operative. Thevalve-seat memdirt or grit may find lodgm-ent, the annular seat 46 andthe lit of theperiphery of the flange 45 therewith preventing passageVof said grit or diit to the seat 2.

All the operating parts are supported by the housing, upon removal.r ofVwhich from j Y the casing, the valves are exposed for repali, theconstruction further providing ready meansfor assembling the parts.

Having thus fully'described my invention,

Letters Patent, is:

l. In a'thermostatic valve, the combination of a supportingy housingprovided with oppositely disposed interior members, one

what I claim as new and desire to secure by A of said membersY beingyieldable and formed .with a valve seat; an expansion member; a

valve connected to said expansion member and c'oacting with said valveseat; yieldable means tending to hold said housing members apart apredetermined maximum distance said valve being arranged to move itsseat member against theV action of said yieldable means; and inlet andoutlet openings for said housing. Y

2. In a thermostatic valve, the combination of a supporting housingpro-vided with depending and upwardly extending interior members, one ofsaid members being yield-able and formed with a valve seat; an

expansion member; a valve connected to Y. said expansion member `andcoacting with said valve seat; a coil spring tending to hold saidhousing membersapart aV predetermined maximum distance, said valve beingarranged to move its seat member .againsty the action of said spring;and inlet and outlet openings for said housing'.

3. In a thermostatic valve, the combina-` tion of a supporting housingprovided with depending and upwardly extending interior members formingupper and lower pockets, one of said members beingyieldable and formedwith a valve seat; a hollow expansion member; a valve connected to saidexpansion member and coacting with said` valve seat, yieldablefmeanstending to vhold said housing members apart a predetermined maximumdistance; an inletopening for said housing intersecting thel interiorthereof between said upper and lower pocki etsand communicating with,the same; an annular chamber disposed between the inner wall of saidhousing and said eXpansion member; passages providing communicationbetween said upper pocket and said chamber and the latter and theinterior of said expansion member, respectively; and an outlet for saidhousing, the interior of said expansion chamber Communicating throughsaid interior housing members and said valve with said outlet.

4L. In a thermostatio valve, the combination of a casing having aninlet-opening and a central depending portion surrounded by an upperpocket, a yieldable valve-seat member having a central upwardlyextending portion surrounded v by a pocket, a coil- 'ber, anexpansion-member, nected with the latter ooaoting with said springbetween said downwardly extending portion and said yieldable valve-seatmemand a valve oonvalve-seat member and arranged to move said valve-seatmember against the action of said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name hereto in the presence oftwo subseribing witnesses.

ROBERT S. MAYER.

Witnesses CEAS. E.v WEBER, 'THERESA SILBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

